December 11, 2015

The UAE is committed to negotiations regarding the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change in order to reach a global agreement
that ensures practical and effective steps to curb the repercussions of climate
change.

Speaking at the 21st Session of the Conference of Parties
(COP21), Dr Sultan Ahmad Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and Special Envoy for
Energy and Climate Change, said: “Climate change affects the entire world and
has economic, political and humanitarian consequences that pose a real threat
to present and future generations.”

Dr Al Jaber, who is also Head of the UAE delegation
participating in Paris talks, said the UAE has taken initiative for many years
to deal with climate change and launched several initiatives to develop clean
energy.

“The UAE adopted a clean energy strategy and is now working
to increase the share of clean energy sources to 24 per cent by 2021. Such
initiatives also include the setting up of the Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al
Maktoum Solar Park, which is in line with Dubai’s clean energy strategy that
aims at 5,000 megawatt of clean energy by 2030.

“The UAE is implementing green building systems and adopting
international standards in cooling and lighting systems.”

“The UAE is currently implementing a number of projects that
have a direct impact on reducing carbon emissions. Among these projects is
Shams-1, a solar power plant in Abu Dhabi, London Array, the largest operating
offshore wind farm in the world based in England, in addition to other solar
power projects in Spain and a range of renewable projects in other countries
around the world.”

Dr Al Jaber invited the delegates to attend the Abu Dhabi
Sustainability Week in January 2016 to work together and take practical
measures to build a better and sustainable future.

The UAE also joined global partners to host ‘RE-Energising
the Future’, an international conference to discuss visions for a future
powered by renewable energy, held on the sidelines the COP21.

“Renewable energy is a vital tool in reducing the potential
impacts of climate change” said Dr Al Jaber. “The development and deployment of
clean energy technology will drive economic growth while simultaneously
protecting our environment.”

During the event, government representatives such as Jerry
Brown, the Governor of California, Miguel Arias Canete, EU Commissioner for
Climate Action and Energy, Clover Moore, Lord Mayor of Sydney, and Abdul Kader
Amara, Morocco’s Minister of Energy, detailed plans for scaling up renewable
energy investments.

The conference was organised by the UAE Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, the European Commission (EC), the International Renewable Energy
Agency (Irena), the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century
(REN21), and the Syndicate for Renewable Energy of France (SER). It was held as
part of the COP21 Renewable energy track event series from December 4-7 to
demonstrate how renewable energy can help the world achieve a sustainable
future.